1. Field of the Invention
This invention concerns a device for supporting a seated patient's leg, and more particularly, relates to a leg supporting device removably associated with a chair employed for shower room use as in a hospital.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For various medical reasons, there are situations wherein hospitalized patients cannot bend a knee. Although this disability is easily accommodated while the patient remains in bed, there are considerable difficulties in transporting the patient to a shower room. During such transport, it is generally preferred that the patient be seated, with the leg supported in a substantially horizontally extended position. While in the shower, it is essential that the patient remain seated.
Although a conventional wheelchair might provide the requisite transport in seated position, wheelchairs of rigid construction having leg rests are of considerable expense, and not adapted to survive frequent exposure to soapy water. Chairs specially adapted for use in hospital shower rooms are available. Such chairs are generally of all plastic construction, typically fabricated of rigid polyvinylchloride (PVC) pipe components and interactive PVC coupling components. One such plastic shower room chair currently in widespread use is manufactured by the Rubbermaid Commercial Products Company of Winchester, Va. However, such shower room chairs are not equipped with leg supporting means, the reason presumably being that the majority of patients do not require leg support in the course of their use of the chair in the shower room. Accordingly, in the interests of maintaining a low chair weight and minimal manufacturing cost, leg support means are not incorporated into the chair construction.
It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide a leg support accessory, which is removably attachable to a hospital shower room chair of PVC pipe construction.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a leg support accessory of the foregoing object which is of durable construction, easily installed onto said chair, and amenable to low cost manufacture.
These objects and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description.